“born in the usa,” bruce springsteen (1984) born down in a dead man's town the first kick i...
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“Born in the USA,” Bruce Springsteen
(1984)
Born down in a dead man's townThe first kick I took was when I hit the groundYou end up like a dog that's been beat too muchTill you spend half your life just covering up
Got in a little hometown jamSo they put a rifle in my handSent me off to a foreign landTo go and kill the yellow man
Come back home to the refineryHiring man says "Son if it was up to me"Went down to see my V.A. manHe said "Son, don't you understand"
I had a brother at Khe Sahn fighting off the Viet CongThey're still there, he's all gone
He had a woman he loved in SaigonI got a picture of him in her arms now
Down in the shadow of the penitentiaryOut by the gas fires of the refineryI'm ten years burning down the roadNowhere to run ain't got nowhere to go
Reagan is upstaged by a chimpanzee in a distinctly silly 1951 B-movie comedy, suggesting his acting career may have seen better days
Reagan as the host of the GE Theater TV program and the corporation’s public spokesman—his articulation of the generally conservative GE view furthered his transformation from a New Deal liberal Democrat to a Goldwater conservative Republican
Twenty years before, the Nixon-Kennedy debates highlighted the emerging need for successful political candidates to look and sound good on TV—just like actors. The ultimate realization of this trend
was the election of a president who actually was a professional actor.
Nixon and Kennedy in 1960 Ronald Reagan in 1980
The more things change...
Contrasting personalities and ideologies: The pessimistic stern discipline of Carter versus the undemanding sunny
optimism of Reagan
Roe v. Wade Roe v. Wade (1973)(1973)
A 7-2 majority ruling struck down state laws that completely prohibited women’s access to abortion
Majority opinion argued this violated a woman’s right to privacy in making this decision in consultation with her doctor
Justice Harry Blackmun, writing for the majority, laid out these guidelines:
First Trimester: States had no compelling reason to interfere with woman’s decision
Second Trimester: States could establish some limits on access to abortion
Third Trimester: States could prohibit abortion except in cases where the mother’s life was threatened
The Politics of AbortionThe Politics of Abortion
Abortion rights becomes a central issue for Abortion rights becomes a central issue for the conservative coalitionthe conservative coalition Social ConservativesSocial Conservatives
Religious Right, attack for moral reasons and Religious Right, attack for moral reasons and dislike of feminist movementdislike of feminist movement
Political (small-government) ConservativesPolitical (small-government) ConservativesActually Actually decreasesdecreases government interference in government interference in individual lives, so should have supportedindividual lives, so should have supported
Argued it was a case of “judicial activism” that by-Argued it was a case of “judicial activism” that by-passed the democratic processpassed the democratic process
ReaganomicsReaganomics
Rejects Keynesianism in favor of supply side theory: Cut Rejects Keynesianism in favor of supply side theory: Cut taxes on the rich who will invest more and spur the taxes on the rich who will invest more and spur the economy so the wealth will “trickle down” to lower economy so the wealth will “trickle down” to lower classesclassesAcross the board 25% tax cuts in 1981, though Across the board 25% tax cuts in 1981, though especially benefited the wealthyespecially benefited the wealthy
Pay $4000 in taxes, save $1000Pay $4000 in taxes, save $1000 Pay $400,000 in taxes, save $100,000Pay $400,000 in taxes, save $100,000
Also supposed to be large cuts in state welfare systemAlso supposed to be large cuts in state welfare system Cut smaller welfare programs primarily benefiting the very poor Cut smaller welfare programs primarily benefiting the very poor
like Aid For Dependent Children, Food Stamps, Head Start, like Aid For Dependent Children, Food Stamps, Head Start, school lunchesschool lunches
Did NOT take on the truly expensive middle-class “entitlement Did NOT take on the truly expensive middle-class “entitlement programs”: Social Security and Medicareprograms”: Social Security and Medicare
The 1983 RecoveryThe 1983 Recovery
Reaganomics certainly deserves some Reaganomics certainly deserves some credit, as did increase investmentcredit, as did increase investment
Two other factors equally or more Two other factors equally or more important:important: The Decline of OPEC: In 1983, the cartel The Decline of OPEC: In 1983, the cartel
began to fall apart and world oil prices began to fall apart and world oil prices dropped significantly for the first time since dropped significantly for the first time since 19731973
The fracturing of the OPEC cartel in 1983 leads to sharp declines in world oil prices, giving a major boost to the oil-
fueled American economy
The 1983 RecoveryThe 1983 Recovery
Reaganomics certainly deserves some Reaganomics certainly deserves some credit, as did increase investmentcredit, as did increase investment
Two other factors equally or more Two other factors equally or more important:important: The Decline of OPEC: In 1983, the cartel The Decline of OPEC: In 1983, the cartel
began to fall apart and world oil prices began to fall apart and world oil prices dropped significantly for the first time since dropped significantly for the first time since 19731973
Military KeynesianismMilitary Keynesianism
Reagan’s massive increase in military spending, 1981-1986 (in 2003 $)
Military Keynesianism:
•Reagan’s military spending is the largest ever in peace time
•Just as with WWII, this huge infusion of federal dollars helps to jump-start the economy and take the US out of the 1970s recession
Reagan meets with the dynamic new reform-minded Soviet Premier, Mikhail Gorbachev, in Reykjavik, Iceland, 1986
The fall of the Berlin Wall in 1989, an early sign of the disintegration of the old Soviet Empire and the
eventual collapse of the USSR in 1991
A Reagan A Reagan Revolution?Revolution? Helped end Cold Helped end Cold
WarWar Cut federal taxesCut federal taxes
But on the other But on the other hand:hand: Increased size of Increased size of
government and government and government government spendingspending
Did not achieve Did not achieve the social the social conservative conservative revolutionrevolution
Despite his attempts to look coolly liberal on late-night talk shows, Bill Clinton will be a moderate-to-conservative president
Your Final Attendance Quiz:Your Final Attendance Quiz:Ronald Reagan:Ronald Reagan:
A.A. Once starred in a movie with a chimpanzee named Once starred in a movie with a chimpanzee named BonzoBonzo
B.B. Claimed to have helped film the liberation of a Nazi Claimed to have helped film the liberation of a Nazi concentration camp during WWII, although he in concentration camp during WWII, although he in fact spent the entire war in Californiafact spent the entire war in California
C.C. Often followed the scheduling and political advice Often followed the scheduling and political advice of his wife who based her advice on the of his wife who based her advice on the recommendations of an astrologerrecommendations of an astrologer
D.D. All of the aboveAll of the above